Ball-joint for pipes.



J. A. BOURKE.

BALL JOINT FOR PIPES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1912.

. Patented Oct. 15,1912

I WITNESSES )NVENTOF? JAMES A. RQURKE BY H l 5 ATTO RNEY V JAMES A. BOURKE. OF SA VANNAH, GEORG IA.

Tonall whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JAMES A. BOURKE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Sa vannah, Georgia, have invented certain Improvements in Ball-Joints for Pipes, of which the following is aspecification. I

My invention "consists of a certain improvement in theball and socket joints used for connecting adjoining sections of pipe,- in

cases where thecircumstances are such that 'said adjoining sections must befree to pose of the invention is to provide 7 of bolts 6 passing through a flange 7 at the sponding flange 8 on the gland, each bolt "swing in respect to one another, as for in stance in the case of'pipes employed in connection with suction'or otherdred es.

My invention relates particular y to the socket member of such a joint, and the pura better and more extended bearing between the ball and the socket than in any previous con struction with which I am familiar, and

thereby prevent fracture ofthe socket member. in the event of adjoining sections of the pipe being driven forcibly toward each other, such fractures often resulting when the contact area of the bearing between the ball and socket members is limited and con centrated in a certain portion of the socket.

In the accompanyingdrawing-Figure 1 is' a longitudinal sectional view of a .balland-socket. joint for-pipes constructed in accordance withmy invention, and Fig. 2 is an end view of the ,socket member of the 'oint. J In the drawing, 1 represents the ball member of the joint and 2 the socket member of the same, the ball having its bearing against an internal annular rib 3 near the mouth of the socket member, and also against ,a packing ring 4 and a glandb, the ring 4 resting upon therib 3 and the gland 5, servingto confine said ring in position upon the rib. l

The gland 5 is secured in place by means mouth of the socket and through a correhaving a head 9 and nut 10, and the gland a but in practice it has overlying the ball 1 to such an, extent as to prevent separation of the members of the joint,

So far as described,'my invention is similar to ball and socket been found that'where the contact area between the ball and socket members of the joint is limited to the rela tivcl narrow annular rib 3 forcible move Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 1, 1912, Serial No. 694,539.

' sible because joints in common use,

I BALL-JOINT FOR, PIPES.

Patented Oct. 15,1912.

sockethas been replaced. Obviously, this objection might be overcome by causing the ball to contact with: the socket throughout the entire surface of that portion. of the ball which projected inwardly beyond the packing rings, but such construction is inadmisof the friction which would thereby be caused between the two members of the joint joint too stiff. I have found that the objection can be efiect-ively overcome by providing, on the concave inside face of the socket, ribs 11, which extend longitudinally inward from the rib 3 and are of the same thickness as the latter, soas to resent inner faces flush with that of the rib and thereby provide at intervals around the socket hear ing faces which supplement that of the rib .and serve to distribute throughout almost the entire area of strains due to sudden movement of the ball the socket any shocks or and socket members toward each other, thereby enabling stand such shocks or strains without risk of fracture.

ment of adjoining sections of the pipe to- I the socket is fracturedand the joint thereby rendered inoperative until the and which would render the the socket member to with By preference, the ribs 11 are curved so that the terminal end of one rib will be in line or thereabout longitudinally withthe root end of the next adjoining rib, the purpose of this construction' peing to distribute thewear due to contact 0 lithe ball with the ribs 11 throughout almost the entire area of that portion nally within the line of the rib 3, and thus overcome'any tendency to wear channels in this portion of the ball. Thisformation of the ribs 11 also serves to distribute shocks or strains more uniformly throughout the extent of the socket "member 2 than would be the case if the ribs 11 were parallel with the axial line of the s cket.

I claim:

Y 1. In, a ball-and-socket joint for pipes, a socket member having an internal annular rib constituting a bearing for the ball memof the ball which is longitudisocket member having an internal annular name to thisspecification, in the presence of rib constituting a bearing for the ball mem-- two subscribing witnesses. I her and longitudinal ribs formed on the inside face of the socket and constituting advJAMES U ditional bearings for the ball, said longitu- Witnesses dinaL ribs being curved transversely. J. E. TAYLOR,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my L. E.-E1)wARns.

' I i I Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,-

v Washington, D; 0.- 

